NARTO issues 10-day ultimatum, threatens to boycott PEF activities

NIGERIA Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, to settle all pending issues including payments to members or face unpleasant consequences.

NARTO in a petition dated January 15, 2015, signed by its President, Dr. Kassim Bataiya and addressed to the Executive Secretary, PEF lamented that the issues had dragged for so long and that members’ patient has been exhausted.

In the eight-point petition titled, “Unresolved issues relating to Aquila and payments”, NARTO recalled its December 12, 2014 letter to PEF in which it complained about the problems generated by the implementation of the project AQUILA and other related issues, lamenting that the problems had remained unabated.

According to the petition, NARTO said,”our members had complained that the implementation of Project AQUILA has been problematic. The response to application or Aquila has been very slow taking up to the three (3) months in some cases whereas Bank loans amortization does not wait. The locations for fixing Aquila are few and far apart leading to trucks having to travel for over 500 kilometers to fix Aquila. Undue delay in freight payment leading to cash-flow problem to our members, non-payment for several months to some of our members on the excuse that Aquila does not capture already delivered products, for example in Calabar and Port-Harcourt Axis.

Problematic transition from old to new Aquila procedure (old and new plate numbers), inconsistency in the Aquila itself leading to three sets of Aquila within three years. Who bears the brunt as to the finance/cost, it is our members and your refusal to pay for products delivered by broken down Trucks after repairs is unfair and punitive to our members.”

The petition added that, “decisions have been taken on virtually all the above issues at different meetings held but poor or non-implementation have given us a poor image before our members.

Our organisation has therefore resolved that if by 10 days from the date of this letter, PEF fails or neglect to find satisfactory solution to the above issues, we shall have no option than to boycott indefinitely all PEF activities and your organisation will bear the consequences of our action.”